How Does Boxing and MMA Prize Money Compare?

At Big Fight Weekend, we love boxing, with the various weight classes giving us thrills, skills and plenty of power. Despite being boxing enthusiasts, we appreciate the appeal of MMA. Both sports offer fighters a vast sum of prize money, with boxing and UFC odds being played in big numbers by bettors.

We wanted to look at how boxing and MMA prize money compare. Floyd Mayweather collected the biggest payday in boxing history against Conor McGregor, but how does the prize money compare between the two sports?

How Does Boxing Prize Money Compare Against MMA?

It’s Rumored That KSI & Floyd Mayweather VS Manny Pacquiao & Salt Papi Tag Team Match Is In The Works…👀@KSI | #KSI @FloydMayweather | #FloydMayweather @MannyPacquiao | #MannyPacquiao@therealsaltpapi | #SaltPapi

📸 : @HappyPunchPromo pic.twitter.com/MMgjlqjvEU

— KSI Updates (@KSlUpdates) March 13, 2023

Boxing Prize Money

Boxing has long reigned as the King of fight sports. Over the last decade, the landscape of fighting sports has changed with the rapid growth of MMA. Despite the growth of UFC, can it really take the number one spot from boxing?

MMA has enjoyed impressive growth over the last decade, but boxers still earn more than their UFC counterparts. Boxing professionals fighting at the beginning of their careers will only fight for a few hundred dollars per fight. For fighters that reach the world-class level, they can earn millions per bout, such as Floyd Mayweather who earned a reported $250 million of the $600 million-plus in total revenue.

Popularity goes a long way to explain the size of the cheque cut for each fighter. It’s no surprise Mayweather dominates the boxing rich list alongside greats such as George Foreman and Oscar De La Hoya. The example of prize money based on popularity was never more noticeable when Andy Ruiz collected $200,000 for the fight before Anthony Joshua. He then collected $7 million for shocking the boxing world and stopping then-undefeated Anthony Joshua.

The 3 Biggest Boxing Pay Checks in History

3) Floyd Mayweather vs Manny Pacquiao broke various records. ESPN reported that Pacquiao earned a 40 percent split of the revenue, meaning he could’ve collected upward of $150 million for the night.

2) Floyd Mayweather vs Manny Pacquiao was a lucrative night for both fighters. Reports suggest that Mayweather collected “roughly $250 million” of the $600 million-plus in total revenue.

1) Mayweather vs Conor McGregor was a money-spinning extravaganza. After stopping McGregor in the 10th round via TKO, “Money” improved his record to 50-0. For his evenings work, he collected an eye-watering $275 million.

MMA Prize Money

MMA is growing at a rapid rate, with UFC and its fighters becoming more popular and recognisable than ever before. Despite the most well-known UFC fighters not earning the same as their boxing counterparts, the lesser-known fighters earn more than their lesser-known boxing counterparts.

MMA has changed drastically over the last few years, with fighters earning money outside of the octagon with lucrative sponsorship deals available. Fighters in the Octagon also have an opportunity to sizeably increase their prize money by winning the fight and accessing bonuses for the fight of the night.

McGregor, Khabib Nurmagomedov and Anderson Silva are just three of the highest-paid fighters in MMA history. These fighters are some of the best in the UFC and have earned their fortunes from fighting, sponsorship deals and win bonuses.

The 3 Biggest MMA Pay Checks in History

3) Conor McGregor vs Khabib Nurmagomedov. “Notorious” returned to the ring after being away from the octagon for two years, as he locked horns with Nurmagomedov for the lightweight title. He dominated McGregor before forcing the Irish superstar to tap out in round four.

The Dublin-born fighter was undoubtedly the A side in the fight, which saw him bag a reported $3 million. The personal rivalry and bad blood present in the build-up made sure this was one of the most anticipated fights in UFC history

2) Ronda Rousey vs Amanda Nunes marked the return to the octagon a year after her brutal 2nd round loss to Holly Holm. She was rumoured to have been paid $3 million, which, at that time, was the largest payout in UFC history.

Before her defeat to Holm, Rousey was a certified superstar, having won six fights in a row and was eventually crowned the inaugural UFC women’s bantamweight champion. Despite her massive payout, she once again suffered a knockout loss, which ultimately ended her UFC career.

1) “Notorious” may have ultimately lost to Dustin Poirer in a recent outing, but he still walked away from UFC 257 with a massive win for his bank account. He reportedly earned a whopping $5 million payday for his rematch against Poirier.